About Mary Hutchison

Every day I'm driving around my cherished neighborhood of Brookside (and Waldo)...observing what's going on, watching new businesses move in and out, and touring homes (I'm a Realtor with Weichert Realtors). Starting this blog about Brookside/Waldo is a way I thought I could promote the area and spark some discussion about what's happening here...and what's going to happen. Your comments are welcome.

Brookside Home Sales Stats – Jan 2015

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

It’s a brand new year for home sales in Brookside! In 2014, 291 single family homes sold in our Brookside zip code of 64113. That’s about 24 per month. We are getting off to a slower start in 2015–that’s because there is a lack of desirable inventory in the $200-$350K price range. Let’s look at the numbers:

In January 2015, eight homes sold in the Brookside area. The median list price was $279,500 and the median sales price was $275,000. Average days on market: 23.

In January 2014, thirteen homes sold. The median list price was $299,950 and the median sales price was $295,000. Average days on market: 38.

Bonus numbers! Note the wide range of prices in our zip code:

Highest closed sales price in 2014 was $1.445 million; lowest was $160,100.

Highest closed sales price in January 2015 was $930,000 and lowest was $170,000.

Although we are behind compared to one year ago, I’m not concerned. January is typically a slow month for home sales, and inventory is still low. The busy spring buying season is just around the corner so these numbers will go up as we head into warmer weather.

Currently there are 60 single family homes for sale in Brookside (zip 64113) with a median price of $409,000 and 123 days on market. That higher median sales price reflects the lack of lower priced inventory–those homes get snapped up quickly and the higher priced homes sit on the market longer. The lowest price listed home is $$210K; the highest is $4.450 million.

(All figures taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

New Brookside Senior Housing – Already Sold Out!

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Brookside Senior Residence apartment kitchen

I visited the Brookside Senior Residences at Rockhill Greens recently–what a nice place for seniors to live! I was excited when I read about this project several years ago, as there is a huge demand for moderately priced senior housing in our neighborhood. Located at 6700 Troost, this building offers 37 one bedroom ($485/month) and 9 two bedroom ($575/month) apartments with complete kitchens, including the appliances. Residents must be 55 years of age or older, and meet income restrictions (one person, $29,081; two persons $35,520). The apartments are wheelchair accessible. Each floor offers laundry facilities, and residents can enjoy the outdoor patio, multi-purpose room, media room and exercise room. This is a non smoking building, no pets and the 46 parking spaces are not assigned.

Ella McDaniel, Property Manager at Brookside Senior Residences

Ella McDaniel used to be with the KCMO Housing Authority, and is now the on site Property Manager at Brookside Senior Residences. “I love it here!” she says, “I love my residents and I’ve always enjoyed working with older adults. The average age here is 70, and most everyone is very active.” Ella explained that all of the residents moved here from homes in the immediate area–they didn’t want the maintenance of a home any longer. They are forming new friendships, check in on each other and enjoy their new surroundings. Ella is working on establishing partnerships with the nearby YMCA, Share a Fare and other services for her tenants.

Multi-purpose room–not yet decorated!

Brookside Senior Residences opened in mid December and currently has no vacancies–they do have a waiting list of 57 people! The owners are planning a phase two nearby. I don’t know of any other age-restricted apartment buildings specificially for seniors in the Brookside/Waldo area. There are several independent living facilities, like Armour Oaks or Kingswood, but those places have higher monthly fees, extensive meal service and more amenities. For those with a more limited monthly income–apartments like Brookside Senior Residences will always be in demand as the population ages. For more information, contact Ella McDaniel at 816 361 0313. (They do not have a website at this time).

Home for Sale in Armour Hills – All New Inside!

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Armour Hills bungalow for sale!

This is my first listing of 2015…and what a beautiful home it is! So many buyers love the charm of Brookside living but they want the interior of the home completely updated. That is what you’ll find in this stunning remodel in Armour Hills!

Marble fireplace, wired for TV above

There are so many wonderful features in this home…where to begin? Let’s start with the open floor plan–another big plus for this house. The living room and dining room are open to the brand new gourmet kitchen. Notice the beautiful Cararra marble fireplace (with gas logs) niche wired and framed for a large flat screen TV. The hardwood floors have been refinished , new interior and exterior doors installed and 6″ crown molding and baseboards.

And look at this kitchen! So much counter space..with the very useful center island.

: Kitchen features granite counters, gas stove, lots of cabinet and counter space!

Granite counters, stainless steel appliances, all new cabinets, gas stove that vents to the exterior. A new window has been installed over the sink. You will love cooking here, and entertaining friends, as there are no walls separating the dining area from the kitchen.

This home features three bedrooms and four full baths. There is a master suite on the first floor, with a large closet, and another master suite on the second floor. No more old cast iron pipes in this home–all new plumbing, and new electrical wiring. Also, many wall outlets in this house–unusual for a home of this age!

The large family room in the basement offers plenty of space for media and gaming. A

: Finished basement area with full bath, 4th non conforming bedroom/office

fourth non-conforming bedroom (or use as office) is just off the family room–and yes, another full bath. Perfect for visiting guests!

Outside, a low maintenance backyard area is surrounded by a privacy fence and features two decks, wired for a hot tub. There is an oversized, one car garage..and a block of friendly neighbors waiting to welcome the new owner. Armour Hills is conveniently located close to the Trolley Track Trail, bus stops, and all Brookside/Waldo shops and amenities.

Contact me for more information or a personal tour of this home. Offered at $319,000.

Hall bath

ReStart Inc Sponsoring New Apartments in Waldo

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

ReStart Inc, is an organization dedicated to helping homeless men, women and families in need, helping them transition to an independent lifestyle. Using funds supplied by HUD and others, they are building a small apartment complex in Waldo at 76th and Washington.

Fourteen one bedroom apartments will be available to young adults, aged 18-24, who have aged out of the foster care system. There will be a live in, on site resident manager. ReStart wanted a central location for this project, the first of it’s kind in Kansas City, so the tenants would be close to businesses for services and job opportunities, plus easy access to bus service. Some Waldo homeowners are concerned about the effect this building may have on their property values.

A meeting to discuss the project is scheduled for March 14 at 10am at the Waldo public library.

Waldo Home Values Rise in 2014

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Wonderful Waldo! Overall, home prices rose in this area last year. Waldo has always been a popular place to live, and I think even more so lately as we’ve had so many locally owned new businesses move into Waldo. Let’s look at single family home sales for Waldo, comparing 2013 to 2014; and we’ll start with stats for December. The boundaries I’m using are State Line east to Holmes, and Gregory south to 85th St.

In December 2014, 23 homes sold with a median sales price of $170,000 and 30 days on market.

In December 2013, 28 homes sold with a median sales price of $148,000 and 39 days on market.

Comparing these two months, prices were way up in December 2014 compared to the previous year. Now we will compare 2014 to 2014 single family home sales:

In 2014, 330 homes have sold with a median price of $144,000 and 46 days on market. The lowest home sales price was $23,000 and the highest was $430,000.

In 2013, 332 homes sold with a median price of $139,500 and 50 days on market. The lowest home sales price was $15,000 and the highest was $372,000.

So, average sales prices in Waldo rose 2.89% in 2014, with about the same number of homes selling in six weeks’ time. Waldo homeowners continue to gain equity lost during the recession, and there is a wide range of prices for homebuyers interested in this area.

Currently there are 36 active single family listings Waldo area, with a median list price of $136,000 and 78 days on market.

(All information from Heartland MLS; numbers are deemed reliable but not guaranteed).

Who Built That House at 63rd and Oak?

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Last week I stopped by the house that was recently built at 63rd and Oak, across from the 7-11. Many area residents have watched this corner over the past several months, wondering what the house would look like when finished. Fortunately the owners, Stephanie and Bill Kalaherka, designed the outside features to blend in as much as possible with the neighborhood. The family moved in last fall, about four months later than planned (as is typical for a new build job, rarely are they finished on time).

Stephanie and Bill chose to buy this lot to build their ‘forever’ home. They have family in the area and love Brookside. Although they looked at a few resale homes, ultimately they decided they could get exactly what they wanted by starting from scratch. Plus, Bill knew he could install energy-saving features in the new home. Taking advantage of federal and local tax credits, this home has solar panels on the south facing roof, a geo-thermal heating system and thick insulation on the exterior walls in the basement. Although they haven’t lived in the house an entire year to examine the overall cost-effectiveness, Stephanie says it cost about as much to heat this house (3700 SF) during the coldest weeks of winter as it did to heat their old rental home that was much smaller. Inside, the two story house features four bedrooms and three full baths (one bedroom and full bath on the first floor for guests), an office, finished basement with storage area and the popular open floor plan on the first floor. Each of the children’s rooms has a loft above the bedroom and yes, there is a two story stainless steel play slide. There isn’t much of a backyard area, but the owners plan to install a small patio behind the garage. Stephanie is looking forward to spending time on the front porch when the warm weather arrives.

Many shopkeepers from across the street have stopped by to welcome the family to the area. They want to meet as many local residents as they can…so stop by and say hello! The Kalaherkas are settling in and look forward raising their kids…and growing old…inside their brand new Brookside house!

Armour Hills Home Prices Drop in 2014

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Overall, Brookside home values were up for the year 2014. However, in Armour Hills, we experienced a drop in home prices. This is unusual, as we finished 2013 up about 15% from 2012. Let’s take a look at the numbers, starting with December:

In December 2014, 9 homes sold. The median list price was $239,900 and the median sales price was $236,000. Average days on market: 55.

In December 2013, 7 homes sold. The median list price was $229,000 and the median sales price was $224,900. Average days on market: 20.

Here are the Armour Hills home sales stats, comparing 2013 to 2014:

In 2013, 82 homes sold with a median sales price of $249,000 and 20 days on market.

In 2014, 70 homes sold with a median sales price of $236,000 and 31 days on market.

Those figures represent a drop of just over 5% in sales price. Why? In 2013, 22 homes sold at a price of $300K or higher, and 12 sold under $200K. In 2014, we had just 15 homes sell over that $300K figure and 17 sell at $200K or less. Overall, for sale homes were priced less and sold for less than the previous year. I’m not concerned about the difference–Armour Hills is still a desirable area for homeowners and when homes are well maintained and updated, buyers will pay more. For our zip code of 64113, there was an increase in prices of 3.72% from 2013 to 2014.

Currently there are 11 homes for sale in Armour Hills, with a median price of $269,900 and 85 days on market. Hopefully we will experience a rise in 2015 in Armour Hills home values.

(All figures taken from Heartland MLS and deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Brookside Home Prices Rise in 2014

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Good news for Brookside homeowners! Once again our home values increased in 2014! I just checked the stats for single family homes sales last year (in zip code 64113) and properties continue to sell at an overall higher price than 2013. Below I am outlining the details, with a comparison of the last several years for reference.

Year Median Sales Price Avg Days on Market # of Homes Sold

2014 $306,000 41 290

2013 $295,000 45 306

2012 $275,000 61 294

2011 $249,000 87 204

2010 $264,000 87 209

For the year, prices are up 3.72% from 2013, and 11.27% since 2012. The average time a house sits for sale before going under contract shrunk by a few days; the number of homes sold down by a few units.

Brookside continues to be a popular location for all types of homeowners. In 2014 we saw several teardowns on our area plus the rehabbers continuously snap up houses to update and flip. The east side of 63rd St is bustling with new businesses and office space. Current homeowners add on to existing homes, update interiors and there are more school choices for young children. All of these improvements add to the desirability of Brookside as a place to live which translates into higher home values. (Also – 2015 is a property tax reassessment year for Jackson County, so you may see an increase in your property taxes.)

I will briefly mention December 2014 stats as well: nine homes sold, with a median sales price of $236,000. In December 2013, seven homes sold at a median price of $224,900.

Currently there are single family homes for sale in the Brookside zip code of 64113 with a median list price of $425,000 and 130 days on market. (All figures taken from Heartland MLS and deemed reliable but not guaranteed).

It’s Here–KC Restaurant Week Jan 16-25 2015

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

January…the most boring month of the year! The weather is cold, trees are barren and everything outside looks gray and dingy..except for the bright, soft focus sunsets! Hard to muster up the energy to go out after you are settled in at home….

That’s why January is the perfect time for Kansas City Restaurant Week! From Jan 16-25, we have ten days of bargain priced meals at many of KC’s finest restaurants. This is the time to try the pricier spot you may have heard about for the low price of $33 for a three course dinner ($15 for a two course lunch). Many of the eateries are locally owned and and operated; and there are all kinds of cuisine offered–from pizza to boar meat!

All of the participating restaurants donate a portion of their profits to these three organizations: Boys Grow, Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired and Cultivate KC.

Below is a list of the Brookside/Waldo spots offering special menus during the week. You can go to www.kcrestaurantweek.com to see individual restaurant menus, make reservations and see a complete list of all the places throughout the metro area offering the prix fix deals.

75th St Brewery Louie’s Wine Dive

District Pour House and Kitchen Michael Forbes Bar and Grill

Julian Waldo Pizza

Lew’s Grill and Bar The Well

Thank you for supporting KC Restaurant Week! Reservations fill up fast so make yours today!

Heirloom Bakery Plans March 2015 Opening

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Happy 2015! I took a vacation from blogging over the past few weeks…just relaxed and enjoyed the holidays with family and friends. Saw some movies, baked a lot, indulged in those special treats you feast on once a year, and indulged in a few post Christmas sales. I hope your holidays were a special time as well. Speaking of baking….

Heirloom Hearth and Bakery, under construction at 63rd and Brookside

Heirloom Bakery and Hearth, under construction at 63rd and Brookside

The topic for my first blog of 2015 was going to be an interview with the owners of Heirloom Bakery and Hearth, at the corner of Oak and 63rd St (401 E 63rd). For a while there was a sign on the corner, announcing a Fall 2014 opening…but you know how these things can get delayed! I contacted owners Kate and Scott inviting them for a chat, and they suggested I get back in touch in several weeks–they now hope to open in March. Brookside neighbors are really looking forward to this place–and I’m also excited this corner is turning into an attractive retail shop after years of being an eyesore!

In the meantime, you can buy their delicious homemade breads and sweets nearby at Season and Square, 6205 Oak, or Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters, 419 E 18th St. Contact Kate and Scott Meinke at the website.

Blogs coming up within the next two weeks include a recap of Brookside/Waldo housing stats for 2014 and information on KC’s Restaurant Week!

Inside Brookside (And Waldo)

What's Happening In Brookside and Waldo (Kansas City, Missouri)

Author Archives: Mary Hutchison